My name is Chris Sligh. As an artist I'm award-winning, critically acclaimed & mildly-to-not popular; I wrote a number 1 song (Here Comes Goodbye) for Rascal Flatts. I'm married to Sarah and I'm deeply in love. Most importantly, I am a Christ-follower.

These lyrics are wonderful. :-)But the first one, Our Love? It brought tears to my eyes. I think I need to hug you now!((hugs))

Are we really all broken? Or is it that some of us get cared for by other human hearts? Is it too much to believe that we all have "something", or is it more a matter of, some of us reach out for love, and then try to give it in turn?

"Sunny" reminds me of when I was young, and how I hoped Spouse looked at me. One wonders as the years go onward, if he still sees all those little things. I hope his heart still remembers!

I think that with the condition of sin we are all broken at some level...the point is to ask the church why we aren't loving when in fact as believer we are the same as those who don't believe...we have simply had the chance to encounter something out of this world...if that makes sense...

Bully, the way you talked about "Sunny" rings so true. It does remind one of the way their spouse saw them back in the day. And I think we all have moments that we wonder if he or she still see's us the same. Your words made me think about how we all change so much through the years.

That old saying, "the church isn't a museum for saints, it's a hospital for sinners" might be apropos here. What we've got to do is get out beyond the walls of the place where we meet (which we so many times incorrectly call the church..the church is the people, not a brick and mortar structure) and share the good news. How do we do that? There's a song we sing in worship which says, "They'll know we are Christians by our love..." (I found this Jars of Clay version on youtube --http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CobNWUXb1M ) Of course, even in this, I think we pick and choose our outreach. It's far easier to love a hungry baby in Africa than a 50 year old homeless man on the street.

Per "Sunny," after a few listens and getting the chance to read the lyrics here, I kind of picture in my mind a couple who's been married for 60 years, who look wrinkled and gray to the world around them, but to each other, they still see the beautiful (or handsome) person they fell in love with and their devotion has grown deeper over the years.

Thanks, Chris..you have once again worked your magic with words and music to paint pictures that make us think.

Risa, You ARE a philosopher and I think you hit the nail on the head. It IS easier to love those in Haiti and text our $10 donation - than it is to love those snot nosed kids in the projects who came to church and brushed their dirty hands on our silk suits. Or to see them hanging around Dollar Tree but they can't buy! I am so busy, I don't see the homeless man at the redlight - I am usually working on a presentation while stopped... Chris' story of "Only YOU Can Save" hit home with me and for 2010I am trying to SEE those around me with new eyes. THANK YOU Chris for telling us what gives you ideas for some of your songs.... and for then putting it to music. The catchy tune of that one, keeps it in my mind.. and helping me to follow through! That one at least was a "sermon" for me.

Let me interrupt with a post that has nothing to do with the conversation of the moment (what else is new? LOL) I just wanted to post a link to a news story about our friend, Lauren, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. She had been collecting can tabs for Ronald McDonald House for a couple of months before her diagnosis, and folks all over have started collecting in her honor since her diagnosis. http://arkansasmatters.com/content/news/fulltext/?cid=286341

I was watching AI Orlando DVR'd over at friend Carol's house and she had seen him the night before. That's the first thing she said--"Chris Sligh's brother from another mother was on Idol last night!" LOL

Hi Chris-- Your answer had a beautiful ring of innocence to it. I truly hope that your life has been one where you have had only your own frailities hindering you. While it is definitely true, that we ALL have sin we wrestle with, being born simple humans? I think some of us are savaged and cracked by circumstance, and by others.

We all ask for Help, for Grace, and for Healing. We all ask(I hope) for Forgiveness. When we have God's love with us, and have benefited from it's relief? We can offer it then, to others. The side effect of being Broken might really be, Compassion and Love to give. :-)

That sounds mildly preachy, but when we FEEL broken, relief is s beautiful thing. I learned the same year you wrote "Vessel", that maybe I was a broken vessel...but I wasn't worthless. Once patched by a Greater Hand, I was still good for serving others. So I try. Broken, but still of Use. It's a nice feeling to be "repaired", redeemed I suppose, from the refuse pile!

I really love it, that you are not afraid to use the word "Broken", because I think it does address the trials some of us have had to press thru in course of living. When I read what you write on this, I feel not alone. I feel comforted. :-)